POTTSVILLE, Pa. — The Pottsville Area School District approved the Bus Patrol Program in July of last year.
The program installs AI cameras on the outside of each bus to capture clear video footage of vehicles that unlawfully pass school buses at designated bus stops once the stop arm is extended.
The Pottsville Area School District says school buses are unlawfully passed more than 43.5 million times each school year in the United States. They aim to minimize these violations within their district with the Bus Patrol Safety Program.
"The cameras started lived on February first, and until from February first until April 1st it will be a warning period for violators of the stop-arm safety," said Jared Gerace, School safety and security coordinator.
Pottsville Area Superintendent Sarah Yoder says the district partnered with bus patrol due to a high amount of violations within the community. She hopes this allows drivers to understand the importance of following bus safety laws.
"We have notified our families by email and by a phone call to make sure that our families are aware. We are promoting it on our website and on social media," said Yoder.
The new cameras will make it easier and faster to identify the car and driver that violates the safety protocols.
"Finding the violators before you had to get all the information. What the driver looked like, the description of the car, the license plate. It was very hard to do as a driver and watch students come and go off the bus," said Donald Ditzler, Facility and Grounds Transportation Director.
Unlike the long process it once was, camera footage from the buses will now be sent directly to the police to order fines for anyone who violates the bus safety laws.
"We're working in partnership with the Pottsville Bureau of Police and the Port Carbon Borough of Police to minimize infractions for that," added Gerace.
After April 1st, Schuylkill County drivers' warning period ends, and those who unlawfully pass a bus stop will be fined $300.